


Seeing Red

by LostInTheCityofAngels



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Charlotte Jane - Freeform, Devil's Cherry, Devils Cherry, F/M, s5e2
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-27 22:30:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20415352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostInTheCityofAngels/pseuds/LostInTheCityofAngels
Summary: After Patrick drank the hallucination tea, he secretly steals some for himself to have so he can see his daughter. He starts to go out late at night and returns back the morning to CBI just fine. Eventually, things start going out of hand. Patrick is starting to lose his touch on reality and soon the CBI starts to notice something off about him. He starts seeing his daughter without the drugs, Can they save Patrick before he goes over the edge? (in this story, the tea isn't poisoned but it still make hallucinations)





	Seeing Red

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading :)

The end of the day was over, and Patrick was sitting in his unfinished loft on the top of CBI drinking his normal tea. He knew everyone had gone; even the cleaners had left. He opened his draw to still see the tea he stole. He had a about five hours before work started again. He made himself a small cup and within a few minutes he heard the familiar voice behind him of his daughter.

“Hi dad. Follow me. I’ve been waiting for you.”

Jane turned around to see Charlotte standing there. He got up and reached out, but she moved. He figured she wasn’t ready yet.

_It’s just a hallucination_ Jane kept telling himself. He, regardless followed her where they were going. She didn’t go to garage. Instead they were walking together in the dead of night. The faint city noises were behind them until Patrick started listening to the waves. They were going to the beach.

“Remember, you always loved the beach to come and think.”

“Yeah,” Patrick said with a hint of sadness in his voice. “I do.” He sat down as he watched his daughter splash into the ocean smiling and laughing. It looked so real but at the same time he knew it wasn’t.

The whole time he closed his eyes thinking and hearing her wonderful voice, but slowly when he opened his eyes, she was gone. He wasn’t sleeping, just enjoying the moment.

“Don’t go,” Jane said to nothing in particular. He looked around and realized it was sunrise. He had to get back to work. He brushed as much sand as he could off him and walked back to the headquarters.

The team was already there.

“You’re just in time Jane. A new case.”

“MMhmm.” He plopped down on his couch as Lisbon grabbed her coat.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Yeah.” Patrick sat there for a few more seconds before getting up and letting out a big yawn.

“Did you sleep?” Lisbon asked.

“Ehhh.” Patrick followed Lisbon while Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt took a separate car.

Lisbon pulled up the beach, exactly where Jane was last night. Forensics and other officers were already there investigating.

Jane was confused and hesitated but got out anyway.

“This man was identified as Alan Flynt. He has a wife but that’s it. Age 24. He died by blunt force trauma to the head with a rock.”

“And when was the time?”

“Around 3:00a.m.”

_That’s the time I was there_ Jane thought. He started inspecting the body. “And fingerprints or hair pieces?”

“Sadly nothing. The killer knew what he was doing. Let’s go visit his wife.”

Patrick and Jane went to her house but the whole time Patrick was thinking, he did it but assured himself he didn’t because he closed his eyes the whole time and didn’t move.

They arrived at her house and knocked.

A young woman not older than 23 opened the door. “May I help you?”

“CBI,” said Lisbon holding up her badge. “We’re here about your husband.”

“Oh no. Is something wrong?”

“UM, let’s step inside first.”

They got situated on the couch with Patrick sipping some tea. It was normal tea he confirmed but his mind was still very distracted. He didn’t hear much of what she had to say.

“I’m sorry but he was murdered this morning on the beach.”

“W-what!?” She cried. Her name was Anne Ridley they learned. They had only been married for a few months.

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Do you know if he had any enemies?”

“Never. He was admired by everyone and never had a negative attitude.”

“Must be a crime not of passion. Just a psycho killer,” Jane suggested. That made Anne cry even more.

Lisbon punched Jane lightly.

“Ow,” Patrick said even though it didn’t hurt.

Back at CBI, Anne was being interviewed more when the rest of the team was chatting. “I think we’re dealing with a serial killer, or just a really smart man. He left no traces of himself when killing Alan.” Rigsby sighed.

“How do you know it’s a man?”

“Just an assumption,” Rigsby replied.

“Well there’s nothing we can really do. This guy Alan never had any enemies. He never even yelled or flipped out once. It really was a sick crime,” Cho said.

“Well, if there’s nothing else to do, I’m going home.” Jane went up and snuck the tea in his pocket before heading down and running into Lisbon again.

“I thought you were going home.”

“I had to grab something from upstairs.”

“Ok.”

Jane left hurriedly and for the rest of the day he drank the tea. He smiled when he opened his eyes and saw Charlotte sitting on the counter. She didn’t seem happy.

“Why aren’t you happy?”  
“What makes you think that? Doing your mentalist readings again?”

“No, uh I could just tell by the facial expression and uneasy tone in your voice.” Patrick set the tea down. “So, what’s the trouble.”

“This morning, or you could say last night! That’s what!”

“Is this about the murder.”

“Yes. It was- “

“Wait, hold on. You saw it happen.” Patrick stopped himself. “Never mind, you’re just a hallucination. But my subconscious so- “

“Shut up dad! You killed him!” Silence.

“I-I did that while in a non-lucid state?”

“Yes! I had to cover up all the evidence so they wouldn’t see. All they would find is the body and that’s it! I saved you.”

Patrick was trying to process everything in his head. “Oh no. I’m sorry. You have to leave.”

He got into his car and started the engine fast. He drove off but after a few seconds he realized she appeared in the backseat.

“You’re just in my head,” Patrick whispered.

“Really? Because you’re pretty freaked out right now.”

“I killed an innocent man!”

“Hey, to cheer things up, if you do get arrested, you could use the insanity defense.”

“Yeah, but I would do time in a mental hospital! Jail would be better honestly. I could just say I used drugs!”

“Well you aren’t getting caught. Don’t worry.”

Jane stopped the car. “Please get out.”

Charlotte reluctantly left. “I’ll see you tomorrow dad.” She smiled and started walking off until Patrick felt an urge to not want her to go.

“Wait,” he started.  
“Yes?”  
“Never mind.” Patrick drove off to CBI again. He noticed the team was still there, but he snuck up to his loft without anyone seeing. He went outside and burned the tea. And for once, he felt a tear roll down his cheek, letting his ‘hallucination’ go. He never should have started it in the first place. The whole night he just cried to himself and didn’t sleep but he swore he saw his daughter again behind him, but as a little girl a few days before she was murdered.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“Come back,” Patrick whispered.


End file.
